Permanent Mission

of Barbados to

the United Nations

STATEMENT BY

SENATOR THE HON. MAXINE MCCLEAN

MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND FOREIGN TRADE

AT THE

GENERAL DEBATE

OF THE

72ND SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

22 SEPTEMBER, 2017

United Nations HeadquartersNew York

please check against delivery

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Mr. President,

On behalf of my delegation, I congratulate you on your election to the

Presidency of the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Please be assured that you have the full support and cooperation of the

Barbados delegation as you undertake your important duties as President

of this august body.

I also take this opportunity to commend your predecessor, H.E. Mr. Peter

Thomson, for his able leadership of the 71st session. He has served as

a worthy example of the valuable contribution which Small Island

Developing States (SIDS) can make to international organisations.

Barbados is pleased that he will continue to serve the international

community.

Mr. President,

The theme of this year's General Debate, 'Focusing on people: striving

for peace and a decent life for aft on a sustainable planet', serves as

a reminder of the purposes and principles that the United Nations has

embraced from its inception and which are enshrined in its Charter. It

brings into sharp focus our responsibility to pursue the best interests of

the people who occupy planet earth. For if we fail to advance the causes

of security, sustainable development and human rights together neither

will succeed.

Mr. President, I stand before this august body for the eighth time. On each

occasion that I have addressed the nations gathered here, I cautioned

about the ramifications of unchecked climate change. I highlighted the

existential threat faced by vulnerable Small Island Developing States such

as Barbados.

In his first address to the General Assembly of the United Nations in 2008,

the Prime Minister of Barbados, the late David Thompson described the

Caribbean as "A region at the epicenter of the global climate crisis."

Citing scientific evidence and devastating impacts of climate change

which were already evident in the region, he told the General Assembly

that "failure to take urgent, ambitious and decisive action would be

nothing short of reckless indifference".

Seven years later the Prime Minister of Barbados, the Right Honourable

Freundel Stuart reminded the world that:

"None of the nations represented in this Assembly will enjoy

sustainable prosperity if we continue to abuse the environment

which we hold in sacred trust for future generations ...... The very

existence of small island states like those in the Caribbean and the

Pacific could be imperiled if current trends are not halted or

re vers e d."

I have heard many other leaders from small island developing states

consistently warn of the inherent danger to lives, livelihoods and the very

existence of sovereign nations of inaction or insufficient action to reduce

global emissions and provide support for resilience building in vulnerable

countries. Year after year our leaders warned of the escalating costs of

responding to climate impacts and that decades of development gains

could easily be washed away in a few hours from an extreme weather

event. They also warned of the persistent and frustrating challenge our

region faced in accessing resources to strengthen our resilience and to

protect our peoples from the ravages of climate change owing to a narrow

focus on per capita income by donors and international development

banks and agencies.

This clarion call from the Caribbean was ignored.

Today, we bear witness to the results of this act of reckless indifference.

Today, I regret that I must report, not on a potential threat, but rather on

the destructive impact of climate change on the globe. I speak most

specifically of the utter devastation being visited on several Small Island

Developing States in the Caribbean overwhelmed by an unprecedented

wave of hurricanes.

On Saturday, September 16th when I arrived in New York, the people of

Antigua and Barbuda and in the Caribbean we were working feverishly to

restore some semblance of order to the islands shattered by Irma, the

ninth named hurricane of the 2017 season. A mere two days later, in the

early hours of Monday, I read with horror the pleas of the Prime Minister

of Dominica as he reached out to the world to share the trauma he was

experiencing as his small island was ravaged by the brutal force of nature

from the 11th hurricane in a season which has not yet ended. Barbados,

by the grace of God has so far been spared but we in the Caribbean are

one family; we are brothers and sisters and when one of us hurts we all

feel the pain.

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For much of the Caribbean, tourism is the major economic sector. This

has been built on offering to the world a zone of peace and health. The

threat of disease must be avoided. One possible consequence of the

recent floods and serious infrastructural damage in the region is the

outbreak of diseases. Our ability to detect and respond to such biological

threats must be strengthened. There must be bilateral and multilateral

cooperation to minimise and indeed eliminate such threats. A focus on

Bio-security must be part of our response. There must be attention paid

to a global health security agenda. As an island state, the Ocean is a

priority for Barbados. Ocean governance and the promotion and

conservation of marine resources is therefore one of our primary

concerns.

The road to recovery and reconstruction for Antigua and Barbuda and

Dominica and the other islands affected by this year's devastating

hurricane season will be long and difficult. I take comfort in the spirit, will

and determination of Caribbean people. We are down but not defeated.

Our neighbours in the Caribbean affected by the recent hurricanes can be

assured of the full and unconditional support and solidarity of the

Government and people of Barbados.

However, our friends in the international community must accompany the

Caribbean region on this journey to rebuild Antigua and Barbuda,

Dominica and the other affected islands. We are all morally obligated to

do so. In this regard, I call on the Secretary-General of the United Nations

and the President of the World Bank to convene an International Pledging

Conference on the Recovery and Reconstruction of the Caribbean Islands

affected by the Hurricanes Irma and Maria. I urge all member states to

support the recovery and rebuilding of the Caribbean.

Mr. President,

For Barbados and other SIDS, whether in the Caribbean, the Pacific, Asia

or Africa, climate change is a matter of life or death. It is not an issue for

sterile debates and endless meetings. For our people, it is about loss of

life and livelihood. For our economies, heavily dependent on tourism, it is

about a cycle of constant recovery and rebuilding which is a serious

impediment to sustainable development.

Barbados remains committed to ambitious action on climate change. We

continue to support the implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate

Change and view the Secretary General's Climate Summit in 2019 as an

important opportunity to take stock and to give additional impetus where

necessary.

Barbados' support for global climate change action is a component of its

overall policy of promoting and protecting the environment. We have

taken concrete steps to build a resource-efficient green economy, which

is integrated into our national framework for sustainable development.

Mr. President,

Barbados takes this opportunity to convey its solidarity with the

Government and people of Mexico suffering the painful effects of two

deadly earthquakes in quick succession.

PEACE

A key element of this year's theme is Striving for Peace.

Barbados is a democratic, peace-loving nation. Last year, my country

celebrated its 50th anniversary of Independence gained, after negotiation

and mutual agreement. We cherish and nurture our political and social

stability, based on our history of over 375 years of unbroken Parliamentary

Government. We believe that peace is an indispensable prerequisite for

sustainable human, social and economic development. For us, it is an

essential pillar supporting the national mission of the Government of

Barbados - sustainable economic and social development for the nation,

protecting the environment, maintaining good governance and

strengthening citizen security.

We are committed to inclusive development as a means of achieving

lasting peace and stability at the national and international levels.

We regret that there can be no peace of mind for the people of the

Caribbean who must rebuild their homes and their livelihoods.

But the Mission of the United Nations is to secure global peace. We were

reminded by the Secretary General at the very start of our deliberations

that "We are a world in pieces. We need to be a world at peace." So

each and every member of this international community has an obligation

to support efforts and take action to create an environment in which peace

can flourish. The countries of Latin America and Caribbean have declared

the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace. I use this opportunity to express the

unwavering support of Barbados for the protection and preservation of the

territorial integrity of our sister CARICOM countries of Guyana and Belize.

Decent Life for All on a Sustainable Planet

Mr. President,

Barbados joins with other UN Member States in the effort to address

collectively the many other diverse challenges to which the international

community must find and implement solutions.

In the last few years, the countries represented here have made historic

international commitments. These include the SAMOA Pathway, the 2030

Agenda for Sustainable Development and Paris Agreement on Climate

Change.

As an international community, we must now take action to implement

these commitments, if the destruction referenced earlier in my statement,

is to be addressed.

In recognition that our citizens are our most precious resource, we have

resolutely taken a path to development that is people-centred.

Our national policy framework aligns naturally with the philosophy guiding

the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This has facilitated our

implementation efforts. The Prime Minister of Barbados has clearly

demonstrated the priority which Barbados accords to the implementation

of the Sustainable Development Goals. He has appointed a Permanent

Secretary in his office with the mandate and special responsibility to lead

the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at

the national level.

Mr. President,

Barbados has been a consistent and vocal advocate for the treatment of

SIDS as a special case for sustainable development because of their

inherent natural vulnerabilities. There is a pressing need for the

international community to address the specific needs and interests of

SIDS in a holistic manner. Effective partnerships on a multi-sectoral basis

are also required to assist them in implementing the SDGs.

Mr. President,

Barbados welcomes the on-going efforts of the UN to focus international

attention on the challenges facing our oceans and the need for the

international community to take meaningful steps to protect the marine

environment.

I was pleased to head the Barbados delegation to the UN Oceans

Conference in June this year and I commit to ensuring the continued

active participation of Barbados on this issue. Barbados signals its

interest in working with UN agencies and other international partners to

develop an Oceans economy trade strategy, as well as effective systems

to manage our fish stocks.

Mr. President,

Barbados has built an enviable record on the basis of its promotion of

social development. Since independence, successive administrations

have committed to a targeted social policy focusing on the people of

Barbados. Substantial investment has been made in sectors such as

education and health, in order to develop a skilled, healthy and productive

population.

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The result of this investment has been a significant improvement in the

quality of life of Barbadians over the years. This is borne out in the United

Nations Development Programme Human Development Index and other

indices focusing on transparency, corruption, gender balance and human

rights inter alia.

The promotion and protection of the human rights of all Barbadians is a

primary concern of the Government of Barbados. This is in keeping with

our commitment to a human rights-based approach to development, and

with our adherence to the principles of good governance, the rule of law

and ensuring that our people have the highest levels of civil, political,

economic, social and cultural rights.

We pay special attention to the rights of the vulnerable, including children,

women, and persons with disabilities. With respect to the rights of

persons with disabilities, Government, working together with civil society,

continues to make progress in promoting full integration into mainstream

society.

Barbados wishes to participate more fully in the international community

on issues of inclusiveness. We are pleased, therefore, to present the

candidature of Her Honour Senator Kerryann Ifill for membership of the

Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), for the term

2019-2022. She is the youngest President of the Senate ever appointed

in Barbados, the first female and the first person with a disability ever to

hold that position. Senator Ifill's candidature has been endorsed by the

Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

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Mr. President,

The Caribbean Community has been in the forefront of initiatives at the

United Nations to address the problem of non-communicable diseases.

During this session, Barbados will work with regional and other partners

to bring greater focus to the growing challenge of childhood obesity, a

serious problem which could become the next major development

challenge.

Barbados looks forward to the convening of the Third UN Conference on

NCDs, scheduled for next year. I encourage Member States to participate

actively in this Conference. It presents an invaluable opportunity to

strengthen our action on this important issue and to move closer to our

goal of improved health for our people.

Mr. President,

Barbados takes this opportunity to express once again its deep concern

at being penalised for any success that it achieves in its development

efforts. Its categorisation as a Middle Income Country with the resulting

restriction in access to international development assistance and

concessionary financing is unfair and does nothing to advance the cause

of sustainable development. We reiterate our call on the international

community to create an enabling global environment and partnership for

development. Countries such as mine require assistance in building

economic resilience not challenges such as de-risking, black listing and

indebtedness.

Mr. President,

Transnational crime constitutes one of the major threats to international

peace and security. It can take many forms - trafficking in illegal drugs,

trafficking in persons, the illegal transfer of small arms and light weapons

as well as money laundering. These all present significant threats to the

security of Barbados.

Barbados reiterates its commitment to protecting the security of its people.

We will remain actively engaged in cooperative mechanisms seeking to

confront and address these challenges.

Barbados welcomes the convening of the Third Conference of States

Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). We encourage all States Parties

to take action to implement the Treaty. We further acknowledge the nexus

between the ATT and the SDGs and their contribution to the promotion of

peaceful and inclusive societies.

Mr. President,

The long-standing economic embargo on Cuba continues to be cause of

serious concern for Barbados. We join with the overwhelming majority of

UN Member States in opposing this unilateral action and encourage

constructive engagement between the two sides.

Mr. President,

In conclusion, allow me to reiterate Barbados' unwavering commitment to

the United Nations and to the principle of multilateralism. If we are truly

committed to a decent life for all people everywhere must have be heard.

That includes those in small states such as Barbados.

Barbados agrees that there is the need for reform in the UN System.

However, even as the United Nations undergoes reform to better equip

itself to respond to today's global challenges, due care must be taken to

ensure that the process is inclusive and transparent. No Member State,

particularly the most vulnerable, must be excluded in the restructuring

process.

Barbados supports the view that a spirit of cooperation and dialogue

should be the foundation for our interaction at the multilateral level.

Cooperation and dialogue represent the best means of achieving our

international goals and objectives.

I thank you.